Improvement in children s chairs



2 Sheets--S| J. F DOWNING.

Childrens Chairs Patented May 6,18

JEROME F. DOWNING, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA. 1

IMPROVEMENT INv CHILDRENS CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,620, dated May 6, 1873; appl April 19, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME F. DOWNING, of the city and county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Babies Chairs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accoma front view.

My invention consists in constructing a babys or childs chair in such manner as to admit of its being used as a rocking-chair, as a crib or cradle, as a walking-chair, and as an ordinary chair standing on casters.

The construction and operation of my invention are as follows:

A A and A A -are the legs or posts of the chair or crib, and B Bare the arms or sides, which, like the rest of the frame-work, may be constructed out of any suitable material. 0 O are the rockers, and are mortised onto the legs or attached thereto in any other usual manner. 0 G are horizontal cross-bars, and serve to brace the legs and rockers. To these cross-bars O O are attached, by means of hinges or pivot-joints d d, the bars D D, to which are fastened the rollers D D. The hind legs or posts A A are also connected and braced by crossbars A A which are relatively arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The lower rails b b of the arms B B have also secured on their under surface a cross-bar, B. To the cross-bar A is secured, by hinge or pivot bearings e e, the back E, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. When this back E is in a vertical position as is the case when the device is used as a chair, it rests betweenthe upper sections of the posts or legs A A and is retained and held by means of a bolt or pin, e which has its bearing in the upper cross-bar A of the legs. This arrangement and mode of fastening is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. E is a strap attached to the cross-bar A which serves to support the back E when thrown down, as shown in Fig. 3. In this strap is a series of holes or perforations, which, in connection with the .said screws so passing through i tion filed pin or button e attached to th ppper section of the back, permits of the s e being ad-' justed and held at any desire ngle in relation to the seat. To the horiz tal cross-bar B is hinged or connected, by p ot-joints f f, the seat F, which, when in posit n, rests with its rear face on the shoulder or 1 anged recess aof the cross-bar A To the se F is secured, by means of a hinge or pivot jo t, g, the leaf G, and which, when the devic 118 used as a chair, folds over on the seat form i I g, as it were, a double seat; but when the lea s turned out, as is the case when the device is lsed as a crib ts on and is sat a on the he chair, as e of the leaf supported by buttons or should inner face of the front legs of; clearly shown in Fig. 3. The fa G, which will be uppermost whe folded over for use as a chair-seat, as well as 3 he back may be cushioned, which, when the n vice is used as a chair, renders the same mor omfortable, and which also adds much to i neatness of appearance. His a lid or table, 1 I d is secured by hinge or pivot joint connec 1 bar, H. This bar H has secur two slotted plates, K K, which are to the upper rails b b by means 1 if screws 70 7c,

as to allow of the table being eely moved backward and forward. The ta if .e is retained in a stationary position by means fthe thumbscrew it or other equivalent de ice. L is a thumb-latch, attached to one of e front legs A of the chair, which, when the t leis turned down for use, engages automati lly with the bearing-plate L attached to the t jble H. The back E is provided with a strap, or metallic bearings to support its out end when turned down for use as a section f a crib, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. i

From the foregoing descriptiu the operation of my improvement as well 1 s the readiness with which the device can e converted from an ordinary. nursery-chair walking-chair or a crib or cradl will readily be understood. In Fig. l and F 3 the several features ofthe chair are i ipositionfor use as a childs nursery chair. I the first of these figures it is a childs rockin chair, while in the other the bars D D are tur ed down so as to bring the rollers or casters 1 D in contact with the floor, which elevates the rockers free from all contact therewith. These rollers are thus turned down whenever the chair is to be used as a walking-chair, or at any other time, when desired. It will be seen also by reference to Figs. 1, 3, and 4 exactly how the back is secured by the bolt 0 and. how the plates K K having been adjusted on the rails b b of the arms B B are fastened by the thumb-screw k, and also how the table islocked in a horizontal position by the spring-latch L and plate L. When it is desirable to change the chairinto a walking-chair, you simply have to turn the leaf G and seat F over in front,

which leaves the entire interior frame-work of the chair unobstructed, the child supporting itself between the lower ribs b b of the arms and the front and rear cross-bars B and A of the legs. The rollers or casters D D are now turned down and the bar D so fastened as to prevent its turning by means of the hook d and eye d. When the chair is thus arranged the child can readily support itself and push the chair along with it as it walks. When the chair is to be used as a crib or cradle you withdraw the bolt 6 and throw the back down, as shown in Fig. 3, its outer end being supported 1 by the-strap or band E. The'leaf G is then unfolded and thrown down on the buttons or shoulders at a, and in connection with the seat F and back E forms a continuous flat'surface for a pallet, pillow, or bed to be placed on. The spring-latch L is now unfastened and the table turned to a vertical position so as to form, as it were, ahead for the crib. Instead of the seat F being hinged to the cross-bar B it may be hinged to the cross-bar A and when it is desired to use the chair as a walking-chair the seat and the leaf G may be swung between the legs A A and under the back.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In combination with the frame of a childs chair the back E, seat F, and leaf G, each connected by hinged or pivot joints in such manner as to permit of the device being used either as a chair or crib, substantially as described.

2. The back E, seat F, leaf G, rockers G C, and hinged bars D D having rollers D D attached, the whole being so constructed, combined, and arranged as to permit of the chair being used for the different purposes specified.

3. In combination with the upper sections 1) b. of the arms B B of a childs chair, the bar H, slotted arms K K, thumb-screw k hinged table H, latch L, and plate L, the whole being arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed lnyname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEROME F. DOWNING.

Witnesses:

E. D. WEBB, H. F. TINKER. 

